Orlando Pirates maintained their stranglehold at the top of the Premier League log with a 0-0 draw against Golden Arrows at Durban’s Chatsworth Stadium on Saturday afternoon — but it is
debatable whether the Buccaneers will look on the goal-shy proceedings as a case of one point gained or two points dropped.
Certainly after an evenly-contested opening half in which Arrows enjoyed the more clear-cut opportunities, the Buccaneers found their poise and took control of the proceedings in the second period — only to squander a succession of gilt-edged opportunities that should have secured them a valuable away win.
Nothing could have been more frustrating for Pirates than the chance squandered by Terror Fanteni in the 67th minute when the former Ajax Cape Town striker broke clear of the Arrows’ defence only to approach goal at what resembled a slow-motion pace and find himself dispossessed with the goal at his mercy.
On a sultry, sunny afternoon the general goal drought continued with Katlego Mashego, ”Terminator” Malebane and Bafana’s Teko
Modise, returning to the line-up after a foot injury, all placing scoring efforts high and wide and only troubling Brazilian Helton da Rocha in the Arrows goal on rare occasions.
Ironically it was Moeneeb Josephs in the Pirates goal who was forced to pull off two sterling saves to maintain his record of preventing the opposition from scoring in 540 minutes of football.
Having weathered Pirates’ second-half storm, Arrows regained a good deal of their early drive in the closing stages — but their finishing, like that of the Buccaneers, was well off-target.
Even last year’s top PSL scorer, Richard Henyekane, ballooned two inviting opportunities on to the terraces when well-placed.
Pirates utilised Bafana players Benson Mhlongo, Lucas Thwala and Mashego after their return from the fruitless European excursion in which games were lost against Germany and the Republic of Ireland.
And while Thwala made one goal-saving tackle and generally looked solid in defence, the other two returning internationals made little impact on the proceedings. – Sapa